From left, Beaufort County's Mia DeBardelaben, Olivia Gee, Essence Champion and Alisa Depew keep their heads and spirits high while they run with their flag after losing 3-2 against Florida on Tuesday night in the Dixie Ponytails World Series at Oscar J. Frazier Park in Bluffton, S.C. The Beaufort All-Stars finished fourth. Delayna Earley

From left, Beaufort County's Mia DeBardelaben, Olivia Gee, Essence Champion and Alisa Depew keep their heads and spirits high while they run with their flag after losing 3-2 against Florida on Tuesday night in the Dixie Ponytails World Series at Oscar J. Frazier Park in Bluffton, S.C. The Beaufort All-Stars finished fourth. Delayna Earley

Florida eliminates Beaufort County from Dixie Ponytails World Series

There is but one stop light in the small town of Wewahitchka, Florida. Most of the time it works, but it's never a given.

And yet, the tiny community that has no Walmart but instead two Dollar Stores has put together a group of girls that captured the Florida state tournament and a berth in the Dixie Softball Ponytails World Series.

"We come from a little old town with 1,700 people and 14 girls on an all-star team," coach Tony Price said. "To come up here and compete at the World Series is unbelievable."

Price's team has done much more than just compete. On Tuesday night, the group became one of last two teams standing at Oscar J. Frazier Park after edging host Beaufort County, 3-2, in an elimination game.

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"They didn't give up," said Price, whose town raised $15,000 in a week to send the club to Bluffton. "They never give up. They play to the last out, they give it their all. We're still standing and we're going to play another game (Wednesday)."

They certainly played until the last out in this one. Ahead by a run with one out to go, Florida gunned down the tying run at third to end the game and punch its ticket in the finals.

After a walk to Margaret Schubert, Beaufort County pitcher Alexis Ortiz laced a base hit to right field that appeared to be heading to the fence. But right fielder Savannah Harrison cut it off before throwing into first baseman Gracie Price, who fired over to third baseman Ashley Lolley for the final out.

"Tough play to end it on," Beaufort County coach Eric Ackerman said. "Had the hit to right field, had the spin, looked like it was going to go to the corner. Ended up hopping up right to the right fielder. She makes a quick throw to first, relays it to third to get the out.

"Eight out of 10 times with that kind of hit and where it lands, that ball spins and goes. It just didn't."

It was that kind of night for Beaufort County, which also left the tying run stranded at third to end the fifth after Mia DeBardelaben and Olivia Gee both struck out swinging. Ackerman's team had taken a 2-1 advantage in the third on an RBI double from DeBardelaben and another run-scoring single by Kidron Martin, but gave up the lead an inning later.

Starter Alisa Depew walked the first two batters of the decisive inning before Brianna Bailey laced an RBI single off reliever Michaux Gee to pull Florida within a run. They took the lead for good a batter later when a forceout at third turned into a throwing error at first, as the Beaufort County third baseman tried to turn a double play.

It brought an end to an impressive run for the host team, which tallied wins against North Carolina, Virginia and Louisiana before bowing out.

"I'm really proud of them," Ackerman said. "Just to watch how much they've grown. Like I said, we have some travel ball players, but the girls that haven't played travel ball ... to see them grow is fun to watch."

Other action Tuesday at the Dixie Ponytails World Series at Oscar J. Frazier Park in Bluffton:

Hanahan (S.C.) 5, Wewahitchka (Fla.) 2 (8): Monday night's postponement due to weather was worth the wait for Hanahan. The South Carolina club scored three times in the eighth inning on just one hit, by Ashlyn Cribb, to knock off Florida in the winner's bracket.

The two teams were scoreless in the bottom of the second inning Monday when lightning arrived, forcing the two teams to resume play Tuesday morning.